Assessing The Wolves' Future

To the naked eye the Minnesota Timberwolves are dysfunctional, detached and perhaps most obviously, irrelevant.

However, a more optimistic view shows that the Wolves have a very strong collection of assets - current players, prospects and draft picks - through which they can create a winner. The future, for the first time since Garnett left for Beantown, looks bright.

Before touching on the many avenues GM David Kahn can travel in his pursuit of making the Wolves competitive, it is appropriate to discuss why Minnesota, as the roster stands today, is need of such a complete overhaul. 

THE BAD: POSITIONAL CRISIS

Currently, the Wolves' two top players (Kevin Love and Al Jefferson) are, essentially, the same player. Sluggish, yet talented 6'9" PF's, both Love and Jefferson are poor defenders, who despite their collective moments of offensive excellence, are ill-suited to headline an NBA offense.  Also, they have proven that they cannot play at the same time without being mutilated by taller, more athletic front-courts. 

Similarly, the point guard position is full of promising, yet unproven faces. Jonny Flynn had a somewhat underwhelming rookie campaign, Ramon Sessions looks like a career back-up and Ricky Rubio remains a distant mystery. Something has to give. 

That leaves the vastly improved (and underrated) Corey Brewer as the lone player on the roster with holds value for the franchise moving forward. Thankfully, Brewer is an excellent defender, whose versatility on both ends of the floor provides him with the capacity to flourish at either SG or SF. 

THE GOOD: OPPORTUNITY FOR OVERHAUL VIA THE DRAFT

With the a 20 percent chance of landing the top pick in the 2010 draft, the Wolves are in position to land superstar John Wall.  I know, I know, they already drafted two PG's last year in the top six picks. Regardless, you don't pass up a player like Wall, especially if only to defend the mistakes of the past.  

The Wolves can't draft lower than fifth, so they are virtually guaranteed to enter 2010 with one of the following five players: Wall, Evan Turner, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors and Wesley Johnson. 

Turner has long been the main object of affection for Wolves' fans. He and Ricky Rubio would provide Minnesota with arguably the NBA's top young backcourt upon Rubio's arrival in 2011. 

Assume the Wolves fail to land a top two pick, and instead end up with Cousins, Favors or Johnson.  Each player would fulfill a need; one of the few consolations for being a team as short on talent across the board as the Wolves. 

THE WILD CARD: OPPORTUNITY FOR OVERHAUL VIA TRADES

Pretend the Wolves land Turner at No. 2, as they are currently projected to do. With Turner they now have a significantly improved nucleus.  He instantly gives MN the alpha-male perimeter player that the franchise has lacked since it's inception nearly 20 years ago. Rubio/Flynn/Turner/Ellington/Brewer is a terrific young backcourt. 

With Turner in place, the Wolves next move would require making some trades to clean up the log-jam at PG and PF.  Packaging some combination of Flynn, Sessions, Jefferson and Love for a center has to be the main objective.  Getting a long, lean big who could complement either Love or Jefferson in the paint (again, assuming one is traded) would instantly legitimatize the Wolves as a force to be reckoned with in the near future.  

BOTTOM LINE

The Wolves can pursue any number of routes to improve in the next few years. Besides their three first-round picks in 2010, the Wolves possess a bountiful assortment of players than can be traded to improve the roster. Nobody's job is safe.

Count on either Jefferson or Love being gone by this summer's end, along with Flynn or Sessions, or even perhaps Ricky Rubio. If 2010-11 proves as poor at 2009-10, and it looks like it will, the Wolves will, in all likelihood, have another top five draft pick. 

Ultimately, this is good news for the Wolves. For a franchise that is perilously close to losing even it's most loyal fans, this is a very rare chance to make things right. With McHale gone, perhaps, for once, the Wolves will capitalize.